What is this handbasket we’re in, and where is it going?

Hawk-eyed followers of my blog will surely notice that it hasn’t received an update in well over a year, which is the bad news. The good news is that I have taken it upon myself to resume dazzling the Internet with my indomitable writing prowess. However, there are a few…cobwebs to shake out. You see, while I actually love my job (I’m seriously not being a kiss ass here), it doesn’t present the opportunity to pull out the old pen and write a bunch of nonsensical b.s. So this blog is all the more vital to me – mostly because it’s more “green” (If I use enough buzzwords, I can generate traffic, leading to repeat readers, leading to ad space and immense amounts of profit!!!) than an archaic paper diary (tea party, Beiber, viral, overclock).

Fortunately, while I’m attempting to get my writing going again, I can spend the intermittent time getting my ass handed to me by professional Starcraft players in Starcraft II! I spent entirely too much time playing Starcraft online back when I was a high-school freshman with braces, bleached hair, and a crappy haircut. The thrill of the zergling rush. The agony of your carrier fleet being destroyed. The hilarious lurker army shredding apart your squad of marines in a nano-second. All great, great stuff. Unfortunately, my growing fondness for Diablo II and the encroachment of the professionals led to less and less Starcraft, but it still holds a place in my heart to this day (benchmarking, wiki, synergy).

Now, 12 years after the fact, it’s back! I thought I had escaped but it’s pulling me back in! Only it’s got a roman numeral after it (turbines).

Starcraft II, a game I’ve waited years and years for, is finally out. And it’s glorious. Plus it sort of justifies this ridiculous computer I bought last year. Though I question the ridiculousness of the computer now – bloody planned obsolescence. Everything old is new again, and while the game has changed in subtle ways, you never quite lose the feel for pumping out probes and pylons to kick start your economy, or building a strategic bunker wedged between supply depots and your command center to counter an early rush. If you never played Starcraft, then you likely have a glazed look in your eyes and don’t care. If you did, you still likely don’t care because I haven’t written in a while and this stream-of-consciousness style crap is bad when Kerouac writes it, quadruple so when it comes from me (blast fax kudos all around).

Anyway. if you have a computer that can handle it, get Starcraft II. All the cool kids are doing it (Scientology, RSS feed, Echinacea).

Good news for computer gaming nerds, such as myself, was unveiled not more than two days ago when Blizzard Entertainment, the visionary minds behind such gems as the Starcraft, Warcraft and Diablo franchises, announced that Diablo III is in development.

Diablo III is the sequel to perhaps the greatest game of all time, or one of them, Diablo II (big surprise there, I’d have never guessed it if I weren’t privy to this sort of information from my secondary career as a video game enthusiast).

Since time immemorial, man has entered into competition against his fellow man. Often times, these men would form “teams” to create a sense of identity. Soon after, teams would become affiliated with different colors. And that’s how we ended up with the never-ending struggle between Red and Blue. New studies have shown that, in online video games, Red – standing for fire, passion, courage, mourning, stopping and Santa Claus – more often than not gains the upper hand over its bitter rival, Blue.

Of course, one of the main rules of statistical analysis is that correlation doesn’t necessarily equate to causation – but it’s an interesting set of data nonetheless. Even more interesting, perhaps to some, is that studies have shown a similar correlation within the realm of team sports, as well as within single, mano-a-mano confrontations. No wonder the Cubs can’t win the World Series, or the French wars (I kid, I kid).

What fresh hell is this?

I am Jason. I received a degree in a dying profession and fortuitously stumbled into a job in dietary supplements. In quality control. It’s great for me ’cause I don’t really care if someone doesn’t like or agree with me. It ain’t Journalism but, as Bugs Bunny would say, it’s a living. Stay a while, and listen!